Dro (Drastamat Kanayan)
(Igdir 1884 - Boston 1956) Educated Yerevan Gymnasium. Attended
military school. Joined Dashnak party. Very active in 1903-1905; with
others assassinated Prince Nakashidze and General Alikhanov; fought
the Tatars in Zangezur. Fled to Turkey after proclamation of
constitution in 1908. Returned to Transcaucasia in 1914; one of the
commanders of the volunteer units. Wounded; decorated by the tsar. In
1917 appointed by the Armenian National Council military commissar of
the Ararat region. Defended the Bash Abaran defile during the battle
of Sardarabad, May 1918. With Aram organized the dictatorship of
Armenia until the government arrived in July 1918. Commander of the
front during Armeno-Georgian war, December 1918. In early and mid-1920
commander of the Surmalu front. Minister of war in Vratsian's
government, November 1920. With H. Terterian signed agreement on hand-
over of power to Bolsheviks. Became dictator of Armenia until arrival
of Soviet forces. To Moscow 1921; received amicably by Stalin. Later
to Paris; settled in Romania. Co-operated with the Nazis on the
Crimean and north Caucasian fronts during the second world war,
commanding an Armenian battalion; supporters claim that this was to
ensure the survival of Armenians, should the Nazis reach Armenia;
opponents claim that he acted out of Nazi sympathies. Arrested at
Haidelberg by Americans at the end of the war; released after one
month as an 'old exile'. Settled in Lebanon, making frequent trips to
Egipt, Europe and the USA. To America for medical treatment in
December 1955; died in Boston 8 March 1956.